A mini review on challenges and opportunities in dinoflagellates cultivation

Abstract

Dinoflagellates are photosynthetic protists commonly distributed in marine and freshwater environments and can be found in symbiotic associations. They are a significant primary producer and play a fundamental role in the functioning of aquatic ecosystems – especially for coral reefs. Dinoflagellates can produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites, and their toxins can affect fish, birds and mammals. In recent years these toxins have been found to have potential cytotoxic, anticancer, antibiotics, antifungals activities. This mini review covers the main genera of dinoflagellates, and challenges and advances in their cultivation in addition to prospects for development of dinoflagellates-based products.